Right on cue, likely to distract from his disastrous handling of the Texas' electric grid and water supply failure, incompetent and corrupt Texas Governor Greg ''Yabbadabba" Abbott (Secession-TX) announced that he was reopening the State's businesses "100%" and cancelling the State's mask mandate. His premature and reckless act has nothing to do with public health and safety and everything to do with currying favor with right wing Trumpers who have long bridled at restrictions imposed to fight the pandemic. Fittingly, he made his announcement to boosters at the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce who were mostly without masks and packed into a conference room.
Local leaders in Texas criticized Abbott's decision, including the Republican Mayor of Fort Worth Betsy Price:
"Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, a fellow Republican, called Abbott’s order 'premature' and asked him to allow more people to get the vaccine.
'I am calling on Gov. Abbott to open up additional vaccine tier categories so that more people are eligible to get a vaccine if they want one,' Price said in a statement. 'As the state’s directive has changed, so must our response. Now, more than ever, vaccines and testing must be readily available.'”
Businesses in Texas who don't want to become COVID-19 superspreader sites thanks to Abbott's action are reacting skeptically here and here. More importantly, health experts in Texas are calling out Abbott for his reckless move, here, here and here for example. Of course, when infections, hospitalizations and deaths rise over the next few weeks, the deceitful Abbott will find someone else to blame (Green New Deal? AOC?).
Abbott didn't learn from last summer's premature "reopening" of business and facilities in Texas. Instead of flattening the curve of infections, his decision led to new infections, new hospitalizations and unnecessary deaths. As then, it's all on him.
(photo: Abbott pondering how to screw things up more. Bob Daemmrich for Nexstar)
